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A recap of rental entry rules

In every state and territory of Australia, there is a right under law for the renter to have quiet enjoyment of a property and to live there in peace and privacy.

That means, unless there’s an emergency, a rental occupier needs to be given written notice should the property owner, their representative or a tradesperson require entry to the home.

So, let’s do a quick recap of rental entry rules and how they work.

A reason is required

If a property manager, owner or their representative needs to enter your rental property, a valid reason is required.

These reasons can range from maintenance and repairs to valuations, showing the home to new prospective renters, open houses if the property is for sale, routine inspections and more.

The notice process

In each of the above instances, notice is required to let you know who will be coming, why and when.

Depending on the circumstances, and the state or territory where your property is located, the required notice time frame can vary.

For example, if the property manager, owner or their representative is seeking to inspect repairs which have been made, as little as 24 hours written notice is needed.

Meanwhile, for routine inspections, the notice required is at least seven days.

But the general rule of thumb is that notice should be provided in writing, with a clear window of time allocated for when that person will be at the property.

In some cases, there are also limits on how often the owner or property manager can enter the property for a specific reason.

For example, in most states and territories, routine inspections can be conducted no more than four times in a 12-month period, or at least three months apart.

At a reasonable time

Unless it’s an emergency or otherwise agreed, any entry to the property must occur at a ‘reasonable time’, which is generally between 8am and 8pm.

Meanwhile, the time specified on the entry notice usually includes a two-hour window when the person attending will arrive.

Rare instances where no notice is needed

There are some rare circumstances where the property manager, owner or their representative can attend your rental property without prior notice, but these tend to relate to emergencies or if there is a breach of the rental agreement.

Again, the specific reasons can vary from state to state, but typical reasons a property manager, owner or their representative may enter your property without notice include:

  • In an emergency
  • To do urgent repairs
  • To protect the property from damage
  • If there’s reason to believe the premises have been abandoned
  • In accordance with an order from the tribunal which handles rental disputes in the state or territory
  • If there are serious concerns about the health/safety of a person on the premises

How we can help

Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.

We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.

Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.